The departments of Drome and Ardeche will again receive competitors for the 76th RAMC, as in 2007, and Valence will be the central hub of the Rally for a week. But the Alpes Maritimes has not been forgotten, with the entire 4th leg returning to the famous Turini run, to be raced twice on Sunday 27th January 2008.

The organisers have decided to modify all the legs and the itinerary of some special stages.

The roads of the village of Vernoux in Vivarais, located 25 km west of Valence, will host the Shakedown on Thursday 24th January. The official starting ceremony will be held in the evening, in the Champ de Mars, right in the centre of Valence, at 6pm.

The first two stages of this leg will run as last year, at night, on this same evening, on the roads of Vercours, leaving from Saint Jean en Royans and the Cime du Mas. Competitors return to the Valence Service Park from 11.45pm.

The roads of the Ardeche

On Friday 25th January, the south of the Ardeche department will host the battle for the first round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

There will be 3 stages, each to be run twice, with a regrouping and service in Valence. The first major change is that the first stage will be much shorter than last year’s, starting at St Pierreville and finishing at the Col de la Fayolle.

No longer is there a remote service area at Vals les Bains, with competitors now going directly on to the Burzet / Lachamp-Raphael stage, followed immediately by St Martial / Le Chambon-Beleac. The leg finishes at Valence with the first drivers arriving in Valence at about 7.21pm.

On Saturday 26th January, competitors move to the northern part of the Ardeche for six stages with a regrouping and service in Valence. The principal change for this day concerns the third SS, which from Gilhoc will bring the competitors back to Alboussiere.

The first car is expected in Valence from 4.04pm.

After the service, competitors return to the Principality and place cars in the end-of-leg Parc Fermé, from 11.30pm.

Final leg in the Alpes Maritimes

At 9am on Sunday, the final leg, comprising four stages, will be held in the hills behind Nice, with a Remote Service Area in the village of Gilette. Two stages will be run twice: La Bollene-Vesubie / Moulinet and then Luceram / Loda.

After the second race, competitors go to the Gilette Remote Service Area, and start returning to Monaco at 2.04pm.

The official prize-giving ceremony, which closes the event, will be in front of the palace, in the Place du Palais Princier, starting at 3.30pm.